When a team is 3-6 and a bowl game is all but out of reach, it might be more helpful for a viewer to just try and find progress in the team.
We all know the limitations of the offense, so my advice for IU fans is to look for improvement in areas of the defense.
IU played a great game on defense in the 13-7 loss to Penn State last week. That was against a different offense than the Hoosiers will face against Rutgers on Saturday.
IU Coach Kevin Wilson talked in his weekly press conference about how it is all about matchups and that this is a different matchup.
IU fans should look at this game as an opportunity to see what progress, if any, the cornerbacks have been making.
Penn State was operating with an awful offensive line, and IU could dominate the run game and put pressure on Hackenberg. Rutgers also operates with a pro-style system, but the dynamics are different.
The run game has slowed down since running back Paul James went out for the season in September, but it is still better than Penn State’s.
Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova is not as talented as Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg, but he has been far more effective.
The job for Rutgers has more to do with simply getting the ball to their receivers, as they can make impressive plays after the catch. The Scarlet Knights lead the Big Ten in receptions of 25 yards or more.
The stat line of the day has to be that senior Andrew Turzilli has eight receptions for 305 yards. That is 38 yards per catch.
IU tends to keep their corners back to prevent deep balls downfield, but that strategy may be a poor idea with the after-the-catch skills Rutgers possesses.
It isn’t like they cannot beat you downfield, either. The IU corners are going to have a lot of pressure on them.
The reason the talented Penn State receivers were never much of a factor is because the Penn State offensive line allowed the IU defense to force pressure on Hackenberg all day.
The Rutgers pass protection is solid, as they have only allowed 17 sacks in nine games. Nova is also talented at avoiding pressure.
It’s all about matchups.
Rutgers isn’t any better than Penn State. It lost to the Nittany Lions back in September. This is just a more difficult matchup for IU.
The Rutgers running game is just decent enough to keep the Hoosier defense honest. Therefore, the IU pass rush will have to help out the secondary or IU could be in trouble.
On the other hand, the IU corners could prove me wrong, and they could have a strong day.
Not counting the quarterback woes, I often consider the cornerbacks to be the weakest part of the team.
When they play tight, they get beat downfield. When they play back, teams can march downfield with short routes.
I do not like dealing with absolutes. Usually people can improve, and there are solutions to bring out the best in players.
The last few weeks the corners have not been to blame because the offense has struggled, and the pass rush did them no favors against Michigan.
In the end, this will be a major showcase to see what the IU corners can do when the pressure is on because IU will need them to play well.
